BILL NUMBER: AB 423	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE   JUNE 14, 1999
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   MAY 20, 1999
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   MAY 6, 1999

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Dutra

                        FEBRUARY 12, 1999

   An act to amend Section 13132.7 of the Health and Safety Code,
relating to fire safety.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 423, as amended, Dutra.  Fire protection:  roofing materials.
   Existing law requires every new structure, and every existing
structure when 50% or more of the roof area is reroofed within a
one-year period, to have a fire retardant roof covering that is at
least class A, B, or C, as specified.  The State Building Standards
Commission was required to incorporate these requirements by
publishing them on January 1, 1995, as an amendment to the California
Building Standards Code.
   This bill instead would require  the entire roof covering
of every existing structure where more than 50% of the total roof
area is replaced within any one-year period,  every new
structure, and any roof covering applied in the alteration 
or   ,  repair  , or replacement  of the
roof of every existing structure, to be a fire retardant roof
covering that is at least class A, B, or C, as specified.  It would
require the commission to incorporate these requirements by
publishing them as an amendment to the California Building Standards
Code.
   Vote:  majority.  Appropriation:  no.  Fiscal committee:  yes.
State-mandated local program:  no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Section 13132.7 of the Health and Safety Code is
amended to read:
   13132.7.  (a) Within a very high fire hazard severity zone
designated by the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant
to Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of
Division 4 of the Public Resources Code and within a very high
hazard severity zone designated by a local agency pursuant to Chapter
6.8 (commencing with Section 51175) of Part 1 of Division 1 of Title
5 of the Government Code,  the entire roof covering of every
existing structure where more than 50 percent of the total roof area
is replaced within any one-year period,  every new
structure, and any roof covering applied in the alteration 
or repair   , repair, or replacement  of the roof
of every existing structure, shall be a fire retardant roof covering
that is at least class B as defined in the Uniform Building Code, as
adopted and amended by the State Building Standards Commission.

   (b) In all other areas, the entire roof covering of every existing
structure where more than 50 percent of the total roof area is
replaced within any one-year period, every  
   (b) In all other areas, every  new structure, and any roof
covering applied in the alteration  or repair  
, repair, or replacement  of the roof of every existing
structure, shall be a fire retardant roof covering that is at least
class C as defined in the Uniform Building Code, as adopted and
amended by the State Building Standards Commission.
   (c) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), within state responsibility
areas classified by the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection
pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 4125) of Chapter 1 of
Part 2 of Division 4 of the Public Resources Code, except for those
state responsibility areas designated as moderate fire hazard
responsibility zones,  the entire roof covering of every
existing structure where more than 50 percent of the total roof area
is replaced within any one-year period,  every new
structure, and any roof covering applied in the alteration 
or repair   , repair, or replacement  of the roof
of every existing structure, shall be a fire retardant roof covering
that is at least class B as defined in the Uniform Building Code, as
adopted and amended by the State Building Standards Commission.
   (d) (1) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), (b), or (c), within very
high fire hazard severity zones designated by the Director of
Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to Article 9 (commencing with
Section 4201) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 4 of the Public
Resources Code or by a local agency pursuant to Chapter 6.8
(commencing with Section 51175) of Part 1 of Division 1 of Title 5 of
the  Government Code, the entire roof covering of every
existing structure where more than 50 percent of the total roof area
is replaced within any one-year period, every  
Government Code, every  new structure, and any roof covering
applied in the alteration  or repair   , repair,
or replacement  of the roof of every existing structure, shall
be a fire retardant roof covering that is at least class A as defined
in the Uniform Building Code, as adopted and amended by the State
Building Standards Commission.
   (2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to any jurisdiction containing a
very high fire hazard severity zone if the jurisdiction fulfills both
of the following requirements:
   (A) Adopts the model ordinance approved by the State Fire Marshal
pursuant to Section 51189 of the Government Code or an ordinance that
substantially conforms to the model ordinance of the State Fire
Marshal.
   (B) Transmits, upon adoption, a copy of the ordinance to the State
Fire Marshal.
   (e) The State Building Standards Commission shall incorporate the
requirements set forth in subdivisions (a), (b), and (c) by
publishing them as an amendment to the California Building Standards
Code in accordance with Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 18935) of
Part 2.5 of Division 13.
   (f) Nothing in this section shall limit the authority of a city,
county, city and county, or fire protection district in establishing
more restrictive requirements, in accordance with current law, than
those specified in this section.
   (g) This section shall not affect the validity of an ordinance,
adopted prior to the effective date for the relevant roofing standard
specified in subdivisions (a) and (b), by a city, county, city and
county, or fire protection district, unless the ordinance mandates a
standard that is less stringent than the standards set forth in
subdivision (a), in which case the ordinance shall not be valid on or
after the effective date for the relevant roofing standard specified
in subdivisions (a) and (b).
   (h) Any qualified historical building or structure as defined in
Section 18955 may, on a case-by-case basis, utilize alternative roof
constructions as provided by the State Historical Building Code.
   (i) The installer of the roof covering shall provide certification
of the roof covering classification, as provided by the manufacturer
or supplier, to the building owner and, when requested, to the
agency responsible for enforcement of this part.  The installer shall
also install the roof covering in accordance with the manufacturer's
listing.
   (j) (1) No wood roofing materials shall be sold in this state
unless:
   (A) On and after January 1, 1997, the materials have passed at
least one year of the 10-year natural weathering test.
   (B) On and after January 1, 1998, the materials have passed at
least two years of the 10-year natural weathering test.
   (C) On and after January 1, 1999, the materials have passed at
least three years of the 10-year natural weathering test.
   (D) On and after January 1, 2000, the materials have passed at
least four years of the 10-year natural weathering test.
   (E) On and after January 1, 2001, the materials have passed at
least five years of the 10-year natural weathering test.
   (2) The 10-year natural weathering test required by this
subdivision shall be conducted in accordance with standard 15-2 of
the 1994 edition of the Uniform Building Code at a testing facility
recognized by the State Fire Marshal.